The San Luis Obispo Computer-Using Educators (SLOCUE) are proud to present Jane Peterson as their nominee for the Computer-Using Educator (CUE) Outstanding Teacher.  Jane is currently teaching sixth grade at Dana Elementary School, but the majority of her distinguished career has been as a first grade teacher at Dana and Nipomo Elementary schools within the Lucia Mar Unified School District (LMUSD).
Jane has been an active member of CUE for nearly twenty years and an executive board member of SLOCUE for fifteen.   She was instrumental in the planning and implementation of SLOCUE’s very successful local technology conferences in 2002 and 2003 and has worked diligently in the planning, implementing, and leading of myriad SLOCUE events.  Most recently, Jane co-presented at SLOCUE’s very successful “Document Camera Shootout.” This event was well attended, and Jane received high marks on our event evaluation. Jane has also presented at several CUE Conferences and the International Reading Association Conference on topics such as integrating digital photography into the curriculum, utilizing technology to respond to literature, and a variety of other topics on the subject of integrating technology into the curriculum.

Jane is a current California Technology Assistance Project (CTAP) Level III Mentor and has coached and supported teachers countywide as they completed their CTAP Level I and II Certifications.  She was also a Lead Technology Teacher/Mentor during LMUSD’s Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program and facilitated the Intel Technology Teacher Training Program to fourth- through sixth-grade teachers at two elementary schools. Jane has also conducted numerous classes in a variety of formats on integrating technology as a Technology Mentor in her district.
In addition to facilitating in-services, Jane developed Lucia Mar’s current year-long standards-based computer lab curriculum for first and second grades and has served on her district and site’s Technology Planning Committees for several years.  Her school, district, and county office of education all look to her as an educational technology expert and seek her advice frequently.
Working with the community is also an area where Jane has been extremely active.  She developed and taught an after-school podcasting class as part of the community’s Bright Futures Program for K-12 students.  She also represented primary science teachers and CUE at State Assemblyman Tom Torlakson’s panel discussion about our current state of education.  Jane represented CUE and our local teachers extremely well as she described how teachers can better teach science by integrating technology into the curriculum. Jane also utilizes her Web-design skills to serve the greater educational community by creating and maintaining the San Luis Obispo County Reading Association’s Website, as well as her current and previous schools’ Websites.  She also helped create our local Phi Delta Kappan Website and contributes regularly to the overall design and maintenance of the SLOCUE Website.  In addition, Jane has written several successful grants offered by local agencies, which have provided increased access to technology for students at Nipomo and Dana Elementary schools. 

When Jane had a concern about the traffic and the safety of her school’s students as they travelled to and from school, she launched a student letter-writing campaign that her district believes was pivotal in convincing the County to install better street lights around the school’s area. In addition, Jane’s students created an Earth Day video that was honored by the San Luis Board of Supervisors.
Another one of Jane’s passions is science education, and she has been instrumental in supporting teachers as they plan, prepare, and present science lessons.  She also organizes her own school’s annual science fair and provides feedback and advice to other science fair organizers as a featured online science fair expert.
As first grade teacher, Jane integrated the use of technology daily in a manner that required students to think critically and express themselves creatively.  She utilized WikiSpaces to enable her first grade students to post their podcasts, share their writing, and collaborate on projects.  She also created a Wiki that directly corresponded with her district’s English Language Arts adoption, Open Court. This wiki provided students with additional enrichment activities and opportunities to express themselves creatively.  Jane’s first graders created phenomenal Kid Pix multimedia presentations that demonstrated their knowledge of a variety of science concepts. Her first graders also utilized digital cameras to create enhanced podcasts and other multimedia projects that are absolutely exquisite. 

After teaching for nearly thirty years, most teachers would resist volunteering to assist their school by taking on a new grade level.  Jane not only volunteered to move from first grade to sixth grade this school year, but relished this new challenge and has invigorated Dana Elementary’s sixth grade team with her new ideas and enthusiasm for integrating technology into the curriculum.  She’s engaged her own class in a number of Webquests and has convinced her fellow sixth-grade teachers to do the same.  She not only learned to use the SmartBoard and Document Camera provided to all Dana 4-6 teachers, but she quickly became the go-to upper-grade teacher for learning to better integrate these valuable resources into the curriculum.
The San Luis Obispo Computer-Using Educators feel that Jane Peterson’s enormous success with her first and sixth grade students, the tireless support and leadership she provides fellow teachers county- and state-wide, her willingness to provide leadership and assistance to local education associations, and the continued support she provides the local community make her the ideal Computer-Using Educator Teacher of the Year.